1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to balancing and teeter boards in general, used for improving an individuals balance or as an exercise apparatus. And more particularly to locomotion accomplished by having both rocking and pivotal means.
2. General Background
This invention relates to rocking, locomotion devices upon which a persons stands, whereby locomotion can be achieved by a series of combined rocking and pivoting movements emulating snow boarding or skate boarding.
In the field of locomotion devices, there exists a group commonly known as "wobble boards" which are so constructed that they may be moved over the surface of a floor by the pivoting and rocking movements of a person standing on the board.
These wobble boards all have the same operating principle embodied by the lateral altering of a central point of support, that the wobble board makes with the floor, by rocking the board from side to side while pivotally moving the board at the ends of the rocking movements so as to move across the floor.
The operation of these wobble boards is quite simple and requires only a limited sense of balance. Even the more sophisticated apparatus disclosed by "Stolle" in U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,267 fails to emulate the maneuvers and acrobatics often associated with skate and snow boarding.
Various types of tetter boards have also been used for exercise and as a training regimen for enhancing one's balance capability. As a rule most such apparatus are not meant for locomotion. However, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,024,021 and 4,491,318 disclose wobble boards having hemispherical pivot members. In which case they could be urged through a series of rocking movements to move across the floor. In both cases the pivot members are associated with a circular board, unlike that of boards normally related to teeter boards which usually have a roller centrally located below a rectangular board. Both of these disclosures rely on a single pivotal element and only "Francke" U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,318 suggests that such a pivotal element could be offset from the center of the circular disk. Neither of these patents suggest the use of dual and/or rotating pivoting members with respect to the platform, whereby the user could emulate the heal and toe longitudinal manipulation of a rectangular board normally associated with skate or snow boards.